Tens of thousands expected at Tel Aviv Gay Pride

Tens of thousands of people are expected to join Tel Aviv Pride in Israel today.

The day kicked off with a fair at Meir Park and will end with a party at Gordon Beach, where the march concludes.

Speakers include opposition leader Tzipi Livni, former social affairs minister Isaac Herzog, a candidate to lead the Labor Party and the head of the Knesset’s gay and lesbian caucus, MK Nitzan Horowitz.

This is Tel Aviv’s 14th year. Unlike Jerusalem Pride, it usually passes peacefully, despite calls from some religious conservatives to ban it.

In addition to the main parade, a breakaway, ‘radical’ event is being held by gay activists who say Pride has become too commercialised.

Organiser Elisha Alexander told Hareetz: “Basically, the ones making a big fuss are the ones making the most money. The voices of some of those in the community with less money are not being heard.”

He added: “The radical parade has its own slogan. We don’t just want to fight homophobia in a superficial way and ignore all the other ills of society. The radical fight means that things need to be fundamentally changed; we don’t need cosmetic change.”